It was on 14 August, 1969, that the British Army commenced ‘Operation Banner’, and began what would be their longest deployment, which would not conclude for 38 years. The deployment was prompted by protests and …
World History
Famous Footprint
It was 50 years ago, on 20 July, 1969, that man first set foot on the moon. That step was taken by Neal Armstrong, an Ohio native, Purdue University graduate, and US Navy Aviator who …
Match of the Century
It was on 11 July, 1972, that American Bobby Fischer, faced off against Soviet Boris Spassky in the World Chess Championship. The match took place in the unlikely location of Reykjavik, Iceland, and unexpectedly captured …
The Language of Free Men
It was on 31 May, 1961, that President John F. Kennedy began his historic trip to France. Despite the unpredictable and sometimes difficult relation between the USA and France, Kennedy was effusive in his praise …
Apocalypse When?
1 March marks the day in 1976 that director Francis Ford Coppola would arrive in Manila, The Philippines, to begin filming ‘Apocalypse Now’, a Vietnam War film about a US Army Captain assigned a secret …
The Victor
1 December marks the birth of Georgi Zhukov, in 1896. Zhukov was a famed Marshal who led the Soviet armies to victory after victory in World War II. Zhukov was born into poverty in Kaluga …
One Man Against an Empire
25 July, marks the birthday of Gavrilo Princip in 1894. Princip was a Serbian nationalist who sought to liberate Slavs from their Austro-Hungarian occupiers and carried out the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria …
A Labor of Love
It was on this day, 10 May, in 1981 that film director Richard Attenbourgh completed work on his masterpiece, GANDHI. A film about the life of the independence activist had been a dream project for …
The Making of Modern Russia
It was on 7 May, in 2000, that Vladimir Putin first took office for a full term as President of Russia. Putin was born in Leningrad, Russia, in 1952. His mother was a factory worker …
Uncle Charlie Turns 200
It was 200 years ago, on 5 May, 1818, that philosopher Karl Marx was born in Trier, Germany. His 1848 pamphlet, ‘The Communist Manifesto’ and his three volume magnum opus, ‘ Das Kapital’, are still …